


Have We Met Before?

by icedcoffeebee



Series: Right Where I Need You [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Tales From The SMP - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Basically I saw James and Karl in TFTSMP and said make it a murder mystery but they're in love, But there are romantic undertones so, Can technically be read platonically if you really want to, Karl is confused, Kinda in love, M/M, Memory Loss, Murder, Murder Mystery, Not really though Karl just misses Sapnap and doesn't know it, Sapnap is James, Tales From The SMP, Time Travel, do with that what you will, i'm not sure what to tag this as, time traveler karl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:08:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29264037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icedcoffeebee/pseuds/icedcoffeebee
Summary: Karl’s time travels take him to an elaborate masquerade ball, where he meets an intriguing and familiar figure. The two endure numerous horrors together throughout the night while Karl tries desperately to figure out where he knows the man from, but he doesn’t figure it out until it’s too late and he’s already back home.
Relationships: Karl Jacobs/James (Tales from the SMP), Karl Jacobs/Sapnap
Series: Right Where I Need You [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2191893
Comments: 18
Kudos: 107





	Have We Met Before?

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, this is a week late after the corresponding Tales episode. No, I don’t really care. I still technically posted it before the new episode so it still counts. Enjoy :)

It’d been a week since Karl was last able to come to his library. After his last trip, he’d been stuck, feeling drained in every way. He struggled to remember the small things, mixing up names and faces. Every time someone waved at him as he passed, he hesitated, desperately searching through file after file in his brain to try and remember. Most times he remembered after a minute or two, but every once in a while, he saw someone who he couldn’t find no matter how much he dug.

He even forgot those closest to him. When he’d come back from his most recent trip, he forgot Quackity. The younger man had been at his house when he’d returned, looking more serious than he ever had before. He’d been worried, apparently, Karl had been gone a while. He’d tried to reach him, but after getting no response, he decided to wait for Karl in his house. 

Karl knew he was acting differently. Even if he couldn’t remember what normal was for him, he knew this wasn’t it. He knew he was off when he stared at Quackity’s face that night. When he looked straight into his eyes, eyes that looked so fucking familiar, but he couldn’t remember his name. He couldn’t even remember his own name sometimes.

But a week was too long. He had work to do, and he had to travel if he was going to do it. So he went back to the library. 

His library. His safe space and his personal hell, all rolled into one. He was safe here, writing his most precious memories, slipping them into diaries and journals which no one could ever find, no one except him. But he was also at risk within these walls. Every trip he made in this library left him missing another piece of himself, like some sort of reversed puzzle. Instead of completing the story, all the library did was take more and more away from him. Karl never knew the true meaning of a “love/hate relationship” until he built this stupid fucking library.

He braced himself, making his way into the secret room hidden behind numerous bookshelves. He wished he could read some of the decoy books stored in the walls, but those would just take up more time, time that he didn’t have.

How was it that he could travel through time into completely new eras, yet still somehow had less time than anyone else to do what he needed to do?

He sighed, approaching the stands which held the special books. It was bizarre, he had no idea how these books showed up, all he knew was that there was always a new one waiting when he came back. He picked up the newest one, brushing his fingers over the cover. It was just like the rest of them, a smooth, brown leather book with the title written in impressive calligraphy across the front cover. _The Masquerade_ , this one read, no other hints as to what his purpose was today. Karl wasn’t sure why, but this book gave him a worse feeling than any of the others had so far. Something about it was different despite it being identical in every way to the others.

One more deep breath and he forced himself to lift the cover, hearing the spine crack as he turned to the front page. He started to read, he felt his eyes getting tired after the first few sentences. The book got heavier in his hands, breathing was suddenly a little bit harder. His head started spinning, or, _shit_ , was that his head or the room? He should be used to this feeling, it was the same feeling he got every other time he traveled, but it still caught him off guard. 

__________

Karl let his eyes close for a moment, opening them to see a mansion in front of him. The book still in his hands, he looked down at himself. His hoodie was gone, replaced by a crisp, white shirt and deep purple vest. Gold buttons fastened down the front of the vest, with small emerald green swirls painted on each one. He had on plain black slacks and shoes, along with a mask in the same green as the swirls on his buttons to complete his appearance. 

_At least my color theme carries through in these stories_ , Karl thought, tucking the book into the messenger bag slung across his body. That bag was one of the few stable things left in his life, always appearing with him in his travels to hide the books which lead him to these worlds. 

He fastened the bag closed, running his hands over the strap of the bag as he finally made his way to the giant double doors. He raised his hand, knocking three times. A man, no, a boy opened the door, looking at Karl through a golden mask, the right side adorned with small green jewels, red on the left. Karl was just about to speak when a new figure came into view, shoving the boy to the side and looking Karl over.

“Welcome,” the man spoke in a deep voice. “May I ask your name? I need to cross-reference you with my guest list.” He looked Karl in the eye. “My _exclusive_ guest list.”

_What’s my name?_

“Um, K-Karl. I’m Karl,” he forced out. The man at the door was still holding eye contact, Karl wanted nothing more than to look away, but he couldn’t. He had a feeling that the stranger wouldn’t be too pleased if he did.

Karl jumped a bit when the stranger extended his hand towards the boy who had opened the door, snapping loudly a few times and clearing his throat. “ _Butler_ , the guest list?”

The boy scrambled to place a sheet of paper into the man’s hand. The stranger finally broke eye contact, directing his attention to the short list of names on the paper. Karl took the opportunity to look over him as he had done to Karl earlier. His outfit, all black and very sleek, had various golden accents all over it. These included a matching gold and black mask, split right down the center. Karl’s attention was held by a small gold fixture right on the man’s belt. He couldn’t tell what it was, a pocket watch maybe, but something about it lit up Karl’s senses. 

His trance was broken by a grunt from the man. “You’re not on the list. But you look wealthy enough, I suppose.” The man moved, finally allowing Karl into the door. “I’m Sir Billiam the Third, welcome in. This here is one of my many, many, mansions. I like to use this one in the summer, so I’m not here very often, but I thought the scenery of it all would be beneficial to my party tonight.”

Karl was barely listening as the man led him into the structure, rambling on about his wealth. The boy from the door followed behind them at a distance, still as silent as he had been when the door was opened.

“Tell me, _Karl_ ,” Sir Billiam dragged out his name. “What is it that you do?”

Karl froze. _What did he do?_

“I’m a writer.”

Sir Billiam smiled. “A writer. Fascinating, have I read any of your work?”

“I… highly doubt it.”

“Shame. Maybe someday you’ll be found up here on my walls,” Sir Billiam gestured to the wall of shelves surrounding them. “Along with all of the other greats.”

Karl hummed. “Maybe I will.”

Sir Billiam was about to speak again when a knock came from the front door, a look of annoyance washing over his face as he glanced back towards the huge entrance.

“Butler?”

The boy nodded, ducking his head and running back to let the guest in. Sir Billiam and Karl walked behind, taking their time to meet the newcomer in the foyer. A frail old man in a black suit stood by the door, turning his attention away from the butler and meeting Karl’s eyes for a split second through the holes of his brightly colored mask, decorated to resemble a fox. He held the contact for a moment before turning to the host. 

“Good evening, Oliver,” Sir Billam mumbled, crossing the name off of his list. Billiam turned his attention to Karl, extending his arm towards the new guest. “Karl, meet Oliver Cumberson. Oliver, Karl.” Billiam folded his list and placed it safely in his pocket. Oliver hobbled forward to take Karl’s hand in a surprisingly firm grip, shaking gently.

“Pleased to meet you, Karl. How do you know Sir Billiam here?”

Billiam answered for Karl, thank God. “Karl is an aspiring author, seemingly successful so far. We’ve just met tonight, but I feel he fits with the atmosphere of the event, so I invited him in.”

Oliver nodded, shooting a gentle smile in Karl’s direction as another knock sounded at the door. Billiam stepped past Oliver and Karl, allowing the butler to pull open the large doors. Billiam greeted the new guest, a man in a beige coat and a black mask, decorated by a red rose on the left corner. He quickly introduced himself as Lord Sebastian, moving past Karl and Sir Billiam to speak to Oliver, seemingly an old friend of the other man.

Guests trickled in one by one, filling the ballroom of Sir Billiam’s estate and milling around. Among Sir Billiam’s close friends had arrived two more people, a woman by the name of Liaria, and a curious man called Drew Barlowe. Sir Billiam had decided to stay around only a few close friends, Liaria, Drew, Sebastian, and Oliver, with his butler following at a good distance. Karl, not knowing anyone at the party, chose to stay with Sir Billiam and his… friends? Acquaintances? It was unclear how Billiam knew these people, who appeared to be from all different backgrounds, but the group got along nonetheless.

The party was near full swing now, with couples dancing in the ballrooms, others milling around the edges of the floor or making their way to the elaborate bar. Karl stood by Billiam, engaged in a conversation with Liaria and Sebastian when another knock was heard at the door. Billiam and the butler rushed to answer, coming back a moment later with a man. He was dressed in a plain white dress shirt, loose and open to show half of his chest, covered in gold necklaces and decorative chains. His simple brown trousers were held by a pair of suspenders, and half of his face was covered by a plain white mask, his long, black curls hanging over the top edge of it. 

“Hello,” he smiled at the group, waving one hand rather lazily. “I’m James.”

“James! How wonderful to see you again,” Billiam beamed, sloshing his glass of wine about in his hand. “How is the wife?”

“Divorced,” James announced, a sad smile playing on his lips.

“Ah, well, uh,” Billiam hesitated. “How about the kids?”

James ducked his head. “Gone. She took them with her.” He lifted an arm to the back of his neck, scratching at the base of his head. “You wouldn’t happen to have any… Particularly strong drinks tonight, would you Billiam?”

Sir Billiam chuckled, “As a matter of fact, I would. Just a moment.” Billiam retreated towards the bar, young butler in tow, leaving the group to talk amongst themselves, now with the addition of James.

Karl looked at him for a moment, studying his features, his posture, his demeanor. Something about him felt so familiar. Something about him felt safe. But what?

Karl’s gaze lingers just a bit too long, apparently, because the man cracks a smile before turning towards Karl. “Do you, maybe, see something you like?” 

_God, even his voice sounds familiar…_

“I, uh… I like your, rather, clearly built body,” Karl stuttered out, too embarrassed and nervous to mention how familiar James is to him. Fortunately, James takes care of that on his own.

“Have we met before?” He furrowed his brow, extending his hand towards Karl to shake. Karl took it, hesitating, before answering. 

“I don’t think we have, why do you ask?”

James dropped Karl’s hand after a moment. “You just seem so familiar. But you must be right, we couldn’t have met, I would definitely have remembered someone who gives me a compliment like that. I can’t recall ever having anyone compliment my body in such a way,” He laughs, bringing back a certain lightheartedness to the conversation that Karl had been missing ever since arriving at the mansion. “What’s your name?”

“Karl.” 

Sir Billiam returned, his young butler following behind with two glasses of wine in hand, one for Karl and the other for James. They accepted with thanks, something the boy didn’t seem to hear very often, and leaned against the bar to enjoy their drinks.

Karl couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something special about James, something drawing him towards him in more ways than one. Karl already felt how familiar James was, but the more they spoke, the more Karl felt an attraction to him. Not a highschool crush type of attraction either, no. It felt as though he already knew him. As though he had spent time, years even, with him. 

Karl felt… _home_ … with James. Which was impossible, they had never met, but still... 

“Would you like to dance?” James offered his hand to Karl, setting his now empty wine glass on the bar. Karl smiled, following suit and placing his glass down as well. As the two danced, the feelings of home and comfort only grew, unexplainable and unsettling, but simultaneously bringing a certain safety. It was one of the most bizarre, conflicting feelings Karl had ever felt, but he didn’t really mind.

Then it all went to hell.

The lights cut out, the hundreds of guests in the ballroom screaming in unison. Glasses were dropped and shattered, people held onto their partners for dear life. Some scattered while others grouped closer. In the midst of the chaos, Karl became separated not only from James, but from everyone else he had made company with throughout the night.

He bolted to find a hiding spot, unsure of what disaster was taking place elsewhere in the mansion. Karl managed to find an empty closet in one of Sir Billiam’s many, many guest bedrooms, climbing in and pulling the door shut behind him. He held his breath, sitting as still as possible in the dark closet. One wrong move, one small noise, and something bad could happen. 

Karl could hear through the wall beside him a sound almost like a heavy weight being dragged. Dead weight. Panting, shuffling, and an awful scream.

After God knows how long, Karl heard the door of the bedroom creak open, saw the lights flick on through the crack of the closet door. He tensed, stilling even more than he had previously, closing his eyes and holding his breath.

“Karl? Karl, are you in here?”

Karl’s eyes flew open at a familiar voice, he threw open the closet doors and hopped out, greeted by James. Sir Billiam and the rest of their small party was alongside him, aside from Drew and Liaria. Karl could see the wash of relief on James’ features when he exited his hiding spot, and he was sure he had a similar expression as he joined the rest of the group.

“What happened?” He questioned. “Where are Liaria and Drew?”

“We haven’t found them yet,” Sebastian announced. “We’ve been checking every room we’ve passed, but no signs of either of them.”

“I was starting to get worried we wouldn’t find you, either,” James admitted, lowering his eyes to the floor.

He looked up slowly, catching Karl’s eye for a moment before Sir Billiam cleared his throat. “Shall we continue looking for them?”

Karl nodded. “I heard something… through the wall.” The men looked at him, confused and wary of what he was saying. “It sounded… bad.” Silence.

“Well,” James was the first to speak. “Let’s check it out.” He tossed a gentle smile in Karl’s direction, following the rest of the men out of the room. Karl took a deep breath before trailing behind. 

James turned suddenly, stopping Karl while the other three men continued on ahead of them. He sighed, drawing Karl into a tight hug, leaning his chin on his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re safe, Karl.” He pulled away and smiled, keeping one hand on Karl’s shoulder to lead him ahead.

“I’m glad you’re safe, too,” Karl smiled, walking beside James while they caught up to the other. The group was startled when Liaria came darting out of a hallway, frantic and scared.

“Sir Billiam! Lord Sebastian! Oh thank heavens, I couldn’t find any of you! I was starting to get worried!” Her words were rushed, and she gasped in deep, heavy breaths.

Karl frowned when James’ hand left his shoulder, watching as he stepped forward to offer Liaria his hand and helped her steady herself.

_Damn this man’s chivalry._

James held onto her hand as she calmed down, while Lord Sebastian spoke in a calm, measured manner to help her recollect herself. Karl watched from behind the others in the group, his eyes glued to James and the way he supported Liaria. The way he gripped onto her hand, gentle but firm, and his hand resting on her upper back as a comforting weight. Karl stared, for some reason he wanted James to be over here, supporting him. Again, that strange familiarity was back, the way James stood close to Liaria while she calmed herself, Karl had seen it, had felt that support before. 

_But from who?_

The group moved forward, electing to go down the hallway Liaria had bolted from earlier.

“Have you seen Drew, by any chance, Miss Liaria?” Sir Billiam tried to fill the tense silence with some investigative questions.

“Not since the ballroom,” Liaria sighed, concern painting her features. “I was trying to find him, I was trying to find anyone, but I got lost in the halls. Sir Billiam, this place is like a labyrinth, how on earth do you manage to remember?”

“I don’t. My butler does, he knows this place better than anyone.”

Karl looked at the young boy, surprised that he could memorize such a complex floor plan. He knew it would take himself a good while to remember it as a fully grown adult, and the butler looked to be no more than seventeen.

“Does he know about any secret passages?” Karl blurted out, hands ghosting over a nearby bookshelf. “Maybe not their exact locations, but… If they exist?” He turned to look at Sir Billiam, the butler standing a bit behind him. 

Sir Billiam turned to the boy, studying him for a moment. “You get five words. Answer him.”

His eyes widened, but he stepped forward anyway and sucked in a deep breath. “I know some of them,” he mumbled. 

Karl nodded, turning his full attention to the bookshelves. He ran his fingers along the spines of the aged books, the worn leather soft under his fingertips. He sighed, one book in particular catching his attention. The spine was completely untouched, fresh compared to the other worn books around it.

“Tell me, is there one near here?” The butler nodded.

“Karl, what are you--” James was cut off when Karl pulled the book back forcefully, triggering a loud bang as the bookshelf lowered into the ground, revealing a secret niche in the wall. 

“ _Oh my God!_ ” Liaria cried, tripping over her heels and falling back into Olivers’s arms. She had been standing beside Karl when the shelf moved to reveal Drew’s severed head, sitting alone on the stone floor of the secret hiding place. Karl stumbled back a bit as well, his back hitting James’ chest as the other man tried to steady him, his hands on his upper arms.

Karl sucked in a harsh breath, half from the surprise and half from being so close to James. He was warm, familiar, and despite having just found the severed head of one of his new friends, Karl felt safe with James close.

Karl gathered himself, stepping away from James again and moving to inspect Drew’s head. He heard Liaria sobbing behind him, this time with Oliver trying his best to calm her.

“My God,” Karl whispered, kneeling down to look at the head. Drew’s eyes were dull, his mouth hanging open. Sir Billiam stepped beside him, leaning down and grabbing a fistful of Drew’s hair. He lifted his arm, bringing Drew’s head to float in the air under his hold. Blood trickled down from the bottom of the stump of his neck, collecting in the puddle already present on the floor.

“Someone here is ruthless,” he deadpanned, turning to look at Karl. “You said you heard something in the room beside you. What was it?”

Karl stood, straightening out his vest. “I heard dragging, almost like dead weight being pulled across the floor, and then a scream. I didn’t know it was Drew…” He felt a warm presence on his lower back, James had stepped closer, a comforting hand coming to rest just above the hem of his vest.

Sir Billiam nodded, still holding Drew’s head in his hand. “Butler, lead us to the room beside the one Karl was found in.” He gently lowered Drew’s head back into the puddle on the floor, stepping away and following the young boy. Lord Sebastian trailed behind him, followed by Oliver, holding tightly to Liaria and helping her walk. Karl and James were the last in the group to move again.

Karl began to step forward before James brought his other hand to his wrist, his features painted in soft concern. “Are… Are you alright? You were standing real close to that shelf when it moved and… Well… Y’know,” James trailed off, his eyes wandering back to their friend’s lifeless eyes.

Karl hesitated, his wrist burning under James’ hold. He feels so safe… He feels like home.

_Why does he feel like home?_

“I’m okay. Let’s just… figure out who did this, yeah?”

James nodded, releasing Karl’s wrist but keeping his hand placed on his back. As soon as he moved, Karl missed his hand wrapped around his wrist. Even more so, he wanted James’ hand in his. But now wasn’t the time, definitely not after what they had just seen.

They caught up to the rest of the group, standing silently as the butler unlocked the door to a new room, the only sound being the click of the lock and Liaria’s gentle cries.

“Sir Billiam,” Karl called as the man started to step into the room. “May I?” The other man halted, stepping back to allow Karl to enter the room before him. Karl hated to leave James’ warm presence, but tore himself from his side anyway, the cold air rushing to take the place of James’ hand on his back. He pushed the door open slowly, peering into the room to be greeted by a body on the floor, so obviously belonging to Drew.

Karl sighed, turning to look at James. He seemed to understand what Karl was thinking, moving to join Oliver and Liaria. There was no way in hell the woman could handle coming into the room, not to see the decapitated body of her friend lying haphazardly on the floor. Karl stepped fully into the room, followed by Sir Billiam, the butler, and Lord Sebastian while the other two men stayed to comfort Liaria. Her cries had grown louder once more, knowing the reason they wouldn’t allow her in.

Karl stepped closer to the body, picking up a bloodied butcher knife by its handle and swallowing the lump in his throat before facing the others.

“God…”

Sir Billiam came beside him, taking the knife out of his hand carefully and inspecting it. “This came from my kitchen. Butler, where is the kitchen located? Fifteen words, maximum.”

“R-right beside the ballroom and bar, sir. The power is in there as well.”

“Right, okay,” Karl sighed. “So that means someone snuck into the kitchen, cut the lights, and stole the knife, all while everyone was panicking and running. Then, they either targeted Drew from the beginning, or they just ran across him and killed him.”

“You said you could hear through the wall, did you hear a struggle?”

Karl thought for a moment. “No… But I heard him scream… Maybe someone knocked him out and he came to right before they killed him? Or he came with them willingly.”

“But that doesn’t explain the dead weight you heard being dragged,” Lord Sebastian pitched in.

Sir Billiam bent down, inspecting the body. “I don’t see any other injuries, it’s almost like the decapitation was the only thing they did.

Karl sighed, his brain was running a hundred miles an hour trying to figure out what happened. Sir Billiam and Lord Sebastian spoke amongst themselves while the butler listened, but Karl was too distracted to hear what they were saying. He had to figure out what was going on. That was the whole reason the book brought him here, wasn’t it?

He stepped out of the room, meeting James in the hallway.

“Karl,” the man’s face brightened slightly. “I was just about to come in, Oliver took Liaria to sit down and get some water.

“Oh,’ Karl breathed out, unaware he had been holding his breath. “That’s good. She could definitely use it.”

James sighed, bringing his hand to Karl’s shoulder. “You look like you could use some water and rest as well. Come with me,” he smiled, leading Karl down the hall once more, back into the large ballroom. James grabbed a couple of glasses from the bar, filling them with a colored liquid that was most certainly not water.

“I thought we were here to get water and rest,” Karl laughed, taking the glass filled with a honey-colored liquid.

“Did I say water?” James sipped on his drink. “I meant scotch. I definitely meant scotch.”

Karl laughed, he couldn’t help but smile back at the other man. It’d been a long night so far and the sudden murder of a new acquaintance hadn’t been very fun, but something about James’ familiarity made it easier to smile around him, especially now. The two joked easily, and Karl felt himself lowering his guard. Probably a bad idea, given the circumstances, but he trusted James.

“So,” James’ laughs slowed and his tone turned serious once more. “What do you think happened to Drew?”

Karl sighed, watching as James set down his now empty glass and folded his arms across his chest.

“I don’t know. Iー” He was cut off as the lights once again flickered, before dying completely. He could barely see James in front of him, and the rest of the ballroom was pitch black. He jumped when something grabbed his elbow, dropping the glass and hearing it shatter across the wood floor. 

“It’s me,” James whispered, suddenly much closer than before. “We need to hide.” He wasted no time in pulling Karl along with him to crouch behind the bar. The two squeezed into a corner not visible from the main ballroom, forced in close together to stay out of sight. Karl could feel James’ arm around his shoulders, pulling him in close and tight.

His grip felt protective, a familiar feeling to Karl. Someone else had done this for him before. _Who was it that James reminded him of?_

The two of them stayed in that position, James backed into the corner underneath the bar with Karl pressed to his chest, pulling him in close and tight. If it weren’t for the danger that hung over then, Karl would almost feel at home in his grip. They held their breath when they heard the door to the ballroom swing open, a set of feet tapping on the floor as they entered the room.

A moment later the footsteps retreated, and the large ballroom door slammed shut behind them, allowing them both to release their breath. Karl felt the rise and fall of James’ chest behind him and sighed, leaning further into the oddly familiar touch. The movement seemed to make James realize their position.

“I, uh… I’m so sorry,” James laughed, removing his arm from around Karl’s chest. “I didn’t mean to…”

“No! No, you’re fine, you just…” Karl trailed off. “It’s dumb.”

“Karl,” James turned Karl slightly to face him, cupped his cheek and smiled. “Nothing you say is dumb.”

“You just remind me of someone, is all.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know,” Karl sighed. “But what I do know is that I feel safe with you. I trust you.”

James looked into his eyes, smiling. “That’s all I want for you to do.”

Karl grinned, leaned further into James’ palm where it rested on his cheek. He studied the man’s eyes, how firey they were. He recognized that fire, the golden amber mixed with deep brown, he had stared into those eyes before even closer than he was now. He wanted to get closer, he wanted to know where he knew those eyes from.

His train of thought was interrupted by the lights flickering back on, and the heavy ballroom door clanging open once more. Multiple sets of footsteps clicked against the floor.

“James? Karl?!” The voice of Lord Sebastian echoed out across the open room, sending the two of them in opposite directions, scrambling to separate and collect themselves before emerging from behind the bar. 

Karl stood first, straightening out his vest. “We’re here! Are you all okay?” He rushed around the bar, scanning the group to see who entered. Only Lord Sebastian. “Where are the others?”

James emerged from behind the bar, once again taking a place beside Karl and placing a comforting hand against the small of his back.

“We were just looking for them,” a new, booming voice entered the room, followed by the butler. “You haven’t seen them either?” Sir Billiam questioned, coming up beside Lord Sebastian. 

Karl shook his head, “Not since we left the room where we found Drew.”

“Right then,” Sir Billiam sighed. “We’d best get looking then.” He turned on his heel, marching through the ballroom door as the other followed. 

Karl hesitated, moving only when James prompted him to. There was something about the whole situation he just couldn’t shake, how familiar James was to him. How scared he’d grown of losing him.

The group walked in silence for a while, following Sir Billiam and the butler, until Lord Sebastian stopped to investigate a crate in the hallway. 

“Oh God have mercy,” the man muttered, slowly lifting the lid of the crate to reveal Liaria’s body floating face down. “I saw the water leaking out of the side,” he gestured to the growing puddle on the carpet. “I had a feeling…”

Karl sighed, moving away from James once again to inspect the scene. He couldn’t bring himself to touch Liaria’s body in the water, instead electing to observe from the outside. He was about to speak again when the group heard a banging from a few feet away, all of them turning and running down the hallway.

They were met with Oliver, tossed into the elaborate fish tank in the hall. He was banging on the glass, trying to break his way out. Sir Billiam ordered the butler to retrieve him, but there wasn’t enough air. By the time the tank had been reopened and the butler able to enter, Oliver had run out of oxygen and sunken to the bottom of the tank, his friends forced to watch in horror.

Karl took notice of Sir Billiam’s lack of distress, as well as the butler’s lack of urgency in the matter, but the group moved along nonetheless. The murders of their three friends were seemingly forgotten as the lights cut out again, silence falling over them.

Karl panicked, running the opposite way of which they’d come, and hoped for the best. He hid in a bedroom somewhere along the hall, waiting until the lights came on once again to leave. He trekked down the hallway alone, calling out the names of those he knew, or thought, were still alive.

__________

The first feelings of fear began to set in when he saw Lord Sebastian’s body slumped against the wall, a trail of blood smeared against the wall, assumedly from his head being slammed into it before he slid down. Karl took a deep breath and continued, his heart beating a little bit faster as he walked alone.

The next sign was when he reached the aquarium to see no one there. He avoided looking at Oliver floating in the water, calling out for James once again only to receive nothing back.

And his heart dropped when he reached the ballroom, the door swung wide open and James laying in the middle of the floor, blood pooled around him. Karl ran forward, falling to his knees to lift the other man’s head gently in his lap.

He looked at his eyes, still open, their firey glow missing. Glassy, brown irises stared back at him. His skin was paler. Karl pressed a hand to his chest, his shirt wet and sticky with blood.

“No…” Karl’s only comfort in this weird, messed up storybook world had been taken. He was gone before Karl could even figure out who he reminded him of. “No, no… Come on, James, say something,” Karl ran his fingers through James’ hair, nudging him to try and get a response. Nothing.

“Looks like you’re the last one standing, Karl.” He turned to see Sir Billiam standing in the open door, something glinting in his hand. A weapon.

“Why?” Karl could barely force out the word.

“Why not? Who doesn’t love a good murder mystery?”

“It’s not a mystery if I know who did it,” Karl seethed, his hands still resting in James’ hair.

Sir Billiam smirked, gripped his weapon tighter. “Guess I’ll have to fix that then.”

Karl’s eyes widened as Sir Billiam lunged towards him, slicing the air with a silver dagger. Karl panicked, scrambling to leave James’ side and run from the mad host of the party. Sir Billiam caught his arm with the point of the dagger, slicing through the fabric of his shirt and drawing a small bit of blood. Karl winced, his hand flying to grab the wound.

Sir Billiam took the opportunity to slice at Karl’s hand, opening quite a few spots across his knuckles. Karl ran to the bar, climbing over it and dipping underneath it as he and James had earlier in the night. He sighed, tears welling in his eyes for a moment as he thought about not even an hour ago, the feeling of safety he had felt now long gone. He rummaged around in his bag to find the book, flipping it open in a panic and looking for the last page. 

He read the words in a whisper, waiting for his eyes to tire and his hands to grow heavy. Karl had never wanted that disorienting feeling so badly, yet it wouldn’t come quite fast enough this time.

A few deep breaths later and he opened his eyes again, safely tucked away in the secret room of his library, the pages of the book wrinkled in his heavy grip. He relaxed a bit, standing shakily and placing the book back on its stand, taking a step back to watch as it flew open to land on the title page, just like all the other ones did when they were placed.

Karl looked down to see he was back in his normal hoodie, the colors swapped as they always were upon returning. He turned his hands over to see the cuts from Sir Billiam had remained, bringing a hand to his arm to check that one too. Sure enough, the blood had begun to seep through and stain his sleeve.

_Damn it._

It was a problem for later, he decided, as he tossed the messenger bag on the floor of the secret room.

He walked out of the room, moving the trapdoor back into place carefully, and fixing any books disturbed by his opening it. Finally, he slumped down against one of the bookcases on the wall, his head leaning back against the shelf and his arms limp at his sides. 

Karl was tired. So, so tired.

Tired enough that he didn’t hear the library door open until someone spoke.

“Karl?!” His head shot up from the shelf. His eyes met someone else’s, a firey, amber-brown glow. A familiar glow. Those same eyes flew to the growing stain on the sleeve of his sweatshirt. “What the hell happened to you?” 

“I… Tired…” Karl muttered, suddenly too drained to even entertain a conversation. After everything he’d seen, everything he’d endured tonight, he couldn’t even begin to pretend he was alright.

“O-Okay, come here Karl, I’ve got you,” the figure wrapped their arms around his shoulders, careful to avoid the hidden cut on his arm. “It’s okay, I promise, I’ve got you. We’ll get this wrapped up once we’re home, okay?”

Karl could barely hold his eyes open anymore, not once he was met with the same warmth he’d been welcomed by so many times tonight. The protective grip, the gentle touch he’d leaned so far into while at that hell of a mansion.

Karl remembered where he knew James from. He knew why the man felt like home, he knew who he reminded him of. Why he felt like he’d known him for years despite meeting him only a few hours earlier. Because he _had_ known him for years, at least, a version of him.

“Sapnap,” he whispered, finally letting his eyes close while Sapnap pulled him tight to his chest.

“I’m right here, I’ve got you. Let’s get you home, okay? You need to rest.”

_Now, wasn’t that the understatement of the century?_

__________

Karl hated that fucking library. It always put him in the most dangerous and confusing situations. But at least it was kind enough to bring him someone familiar each time.

**Author's Note:**

> The idea of writing something connecting James to Sapnap was just too good to pass up, and I had to link Karl’s memory loss to it as well. Also, I’m aware that this doesn’t match the Tales timeline perfectly, that’s on purpose. I had to make it work for what I wanted to do lmao.
> 
> Follow me @c0dename_bee on Twitter! I tweet funny stuff and sometimes post about stuff I’m working on for ao3 :)


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